NINTENDO 3DS HARMFUL?

Here ya go! Decided to do a news article on the rumors of Nintendo's new handheld being harmful to players. Enjoy! And, as always, thank you for reading!

NINTENDO 3DS HARMFUL?

Since the 1980’s, Nintendo has always been known to be the best when it comes to handheld gaming. With releases such as the Gameboy Color, Gameboy Advance, and Nintendo DS, they have made sure to secure that title. Nevertheless, with Nintendo’s newest creation, the Nintendo 3DS, they have reached a potentially devastating problem. Released on March 27th of this year, the sales of the 3DS have posed no problem for the company as they have continued to break records. However, Nintendo’s true dilemma lies within the fact that there have been many reports of minor health problems, such as headaches and migraines, due to the handheld console’s 3D images. Some critics have also been cited stating that playing the 3DS is simply uncomfortable to play.

For those that do not know, the Nintendo 3DS is able to display multiple planes on a flat screen. Although, when well developed, the images are crisp and clean featuring what seems to be a 3-dimensional universe, this is where the handheld’s problems occur.

When a person notices an object, their eyes focus completely on it creating a clear observation. At the same time, the vision of everything else around that object is blurred. This feat cannot be done with the Nintendo 3DS, causing discomfort as the player’s eyes try to focus on a certain plane displayed on screen. This is especially worse with children as doctors’ have reported that prolonged exposure to 3D images can have an adverse effect on eyesight development.

Nintendo quickly combated these reports with its legal shield: the Health Risk Warning. Nintendo states in their warning that:

· Nintendo recommends players take a break after 30 minutes of play

· If your physical condition worsens or you become ill, please stop playing at once

· 3D not recommended for children under the age of six as the vision of young children is still in developmental stages

· It is possible for anyone to enjoy playing Nintendo 3DS since it can be changed to 2D to avoid any effects on young children’s vision

While this warning is informative and clearly presents any problems that may be associated with the 3D images, it also raises some pertinent questions.

It is recommended that children under the age of six to not be exposed to the 3D images the console displays. Nonetheless, Nintendo’s handhelds are usually aimed toward the younger crowd and the main selling point of the 3DS is the 3D mode it offers. Not allowing one of the largest consumer bases to utilize the device’s draw point could warrant the public’s undesirable frustration with their purchase.

Another debate arising from the 3DS’ health warning is that it is recommended for players to take breaks after thirty minutes of play. For many handheld gamers, this can become a reoccurring problem as these consoles are mostly used for extended amounts of playtime when away from home, during road trips, or when on a plane. Players are able to turn off the 3D mode and play in 2D but, once again, the 3D images are the main selling point of the console. To be forced to turn off the 3D mode or take a break every half an hour because of a headache or your eyes becoming uncomfortable seem to only hinder the usefulness of the 3DS.

Nevertheless, even with the reports of the 3DS being harmful, there have been no setback to sales. Also, no long term affects have been confirmed as most players who experienced any discomfort were able continue on gaming after a short break. The only action is to wait and see if anything other than minor health problems surface. As for now, Nintendo claims, with responsibility, gamers can enjoy the 3DS without problem.